The Arizona sentinel., 1887-11-26
GAMES OF ANIMAL s.
How the Lower Orders of Creation Display
 Their Love or Sport.

SDOIlS l COllNlu HIS III ob OO- cured to me while in the Adironacks some years ago. was some distance in the wilderness, and having found a small clearing. was resting from my climb, when suddenly the sun, that had been obscured, sent band of light through an opening in the trees and at once transformed the spot into verita- ble fairyland. From all about innum- erable forms of insect life seemed to spring into the gladsome light, and soon the great sunbeam was the scene of such revelry as is only imagined by tellers of fairy stories. A band of gnats, or insects resembling them, seemed to be performing some mystic dance. They foated on the beams of light; rising and falling in undulating lines, forming and reforming, now disappearing, as if at some proconcerted signal, only to appear again in some new shape. So regular and exact were these movements that I was impressed that they had some meaning. In and about this band of players various other forms were darting. Such games of tag! such aerial leaps, dives and plunges! all showing that this sunbath was being enjoyed to the utmost ex- tent.
 Once, when lying on the rocks that face the ocean, not far from Nahant, 1 was attracted by curious clicking sound, first on one side, then on the other; as if a system of signalling was going on. Recognizing the note of one of the locust tribe. carefully turned and saw half a dozen large, rusty brown fellows, commonly known as grasshoppers, which so exactly initiated the rocks in color that it was with the greatest difficulty distinguished them when not in motion. It was apparent that they were engaged in some curious performance. as they were marching about in the most cratic manner, dodg- ing and hiding behind pieces of stone, and exhibiting remarkable acuteness in avoiding each other. All the little irregularities of the rocks were care fully taken advantage of, and their mo- tions in creeping upon one another re- minded me of those of cat, SO stealthy and sly were they. This game of hide and-seek was occasionally varied by a leaping performance. Two locusts would gravely face each other, and then as if at given signal they would jump into the air, one passing over the other in the flight alighting and as- suming the same positions, only re- versed. watched their maneuvers for some time, and listened to the curious clicking that accompanied them; but finally an incautious movement broke up the games. and the players flew away, seemingly uttering vigorous pro- tests.
 The love of sport is not confined to these iowly creatures. doubt that an' animal can be found which does not in some way or at some time show desire for what we term amusement. Among the land animals, or rather the land and water animals, the otters are especially noticeable from the fact that some of their games are exactly like those of human device. It was Audubon who first chronicled their actions, he having watched them from secluded spot, and since then their games have been enjoyed by many observers. The otters Qutra canadensis) are perhaps the orig inators of the games of sliding down hill and tobogganing.
 Otters are always found about streams; building their tunnel-nests in the banks. having as a rule. one en- trance into the water, and another on shore. During the winter Q bank is se- lected having good incline indicating into the water, or sometimes out upon the ice. The snow is then carefully patted down and rendered as smooth as possi- ble, and finally becomes a glare of ice. This accomplished, the otters start at the top of the hill. and turning upon their backs give themselves push with their hind feet, and away go the living sleds, dashing down the incline, turning at the bottom and with splash entering the cold water, or darting away on the smooth ice. So fond are the animals of this sport that they keep it up for a long time, and hunters watch the slides. knowing that here they have the best chance of finding the otters.
 The sea-otters are just as playful. They are found lying on the great kelp- beds off shore, and have been seen toss ing their young into the Sir, riding on the breakers upon their backs, and going through number of motions of an extremely interesting nature. That these occurrences are truly games, one needs but to watch the domestic cat and her kittens; and young lions, tigers and all the cat tribe have similar dispOsi- tions, while if we turn to the monkey it's entire existence is seen to be a contin- uous game, or an endless series of prac- tical jokes perpetrated upon its fellows. -Vide Atoake.
 Little Georgie used to say his even-